Gearing.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' Fag I Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

J. 0. THOMPSON GEARING. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 1910. 1,074,579.Patented Sept.'30,1913.

' 2 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

' v W I a e JOHN o. THOMPSON, or CINCINNATI, onto.-

GEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented se aeo, Isis.

Application filed March 29, 1910. Serial No. 552,261.

' To all whom it may concern:

Cincinnati, in the Be it known that I, JOHN C. IHo P'soN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented a certain new and useful Gearing, of which the followingis a specification. v I

The object of my invention is to provide a gearing device of this classof simple, durable and inexpensive construction and also to provideimproved means, whereby the means for driving the agitator shaft of thewashing machine may be automatically thrown out of gear when the washingmachine cover is raised and also to provide a device of this class inwhich the speed of not liable to get out of 1 My invention" consists incertain details,

shaft.

' kind is applied. On

rotation of the driving motor may be greatly reduced as applied to theagitator shaft wit-h a minimum'of gearing device to thereby provide agearing device'of few parts gear.

in the construction, arrangement and combination of-the various parts ofthe device, .Whereby the objects contemplated are attained, ashereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims andillustrated in the accompanying drawings,-in which:

Figure 1 shows a vertical, central, sectional view of a washing machinehaving a gearing device embodying my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2shows a top or plan view of same- Fig. 3 shows a diagram illustrating.the gearing device for the agitator 'Fig. lshows a detail, plan view ofthe belt guide and supporting device, and Fig. 5 shows a' detail,sectional view of a :wringer embodying my invention illustrating thedevice for preventing clothes from winding on the rollers and also thedevice for use in feeding clothes to the rollers.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the referencenumeral to indicate that portion of the washing machine shown having onone side awringer support 11 to which a wringer 12 of the ordinary topof the washing machine is a hinged cover 13 provided with the hinges 14and arranged to swing open in a direction away from the wringer. Be"

form 15 on which a motor 16 supported provided with a small pulley 17 onits shaft; The agitator shaft is indicated by the numeral 18 andfixed-to the upper e'ndythereof is a gearing device consisting offacentral hub 19 having aseries of radial. arms 20 thereon, which radialarms support the body portion of the gearingdevice which is indicated bythe numeral 21 and which is segmental in shape when viewed from the topand comprises slightly more than a half circle. On the outer face oftion 21, I have provided a. continuous row of gear teeth 22 and in thecentral portion thereof, 1 have provided a straight guide rib 23 asshown in Fig. 3. Mounted on the hinged cover 13, near one side thereof,is a bearing 24. in which is supported a shaft 25. This shaft is heldagainst outward move- 'ment by means of a collar 26 keyed thereto clutchmember 27 slidingly and non-rotatably supported by means of the key 28.At the inner end of the shaft is a universal joint 29 and a. shaft 30 isconnected with said universal joint and is provided with a pinion 31 anda roller 32 on the pinion. To support this shaft 30 I have provided adevice having an oval opening 34 therein and rotat-ably mounted upon theshaft is a bearing 35 held against longitudinal movement of the'collars36 and 37 so that said bearing 35 rests within the oval opening 34. Theparts are so arranged and proportioned thatthc roller 32 will hold thepinion 31 in engagement with the gear teeth 22 and as the shaft 30 isrotated the said pinion 31 will traverse the gear teeth of the bodyportion 21 and impart an alternating rotary motion to the agitator shaft18. The parts are also so proportioned that the pinion 31 may make anumber of revolutions, preferably three, in order to traverse the gearteeth 22 one complete revolution so that the speed between the shaft 25and the shaft 18 is reduced into a proportion of about three to one.-

In order to apply power from the motor to the shaft 25, I have-providedthe following mechanism: Mounted upon the sideof the washing machinebody 10 is a bracket 38. having a shaft 39 rotatably mounted at itsupper end and provided with a clutch device 40. to coact with the clutchdevice 27. The shaft 39 also is provided with a sprocket wheel 41' and alarge belt wheel 42. Abelt 4-3 connects the belt wheel 42 with thepulley 17 and the end of the shaft 39'stands spaced apart from the endof the shaft 25 However when the clutch member 27 is beloved on theshaft 25 the said shaft will be the body porconnected to rotate inunison but when the clutch member 27 is withdrawn, as shown in Fig. 1,the shaft 25 and the cover of the washing machine may be elevatedwithout moving the shaft 39. A For operating the wringer I have providedthe following mechanism: Rotatably mounted on the wringer shaft is a hub44 having a sprocket Wheel 45 thereon connected by a sprocket chain 46with the sprocket wheel 41 and slidingly mounted upon the wringer shaftis a clutch member 47 controlled by a rod 48 which rod is connected to alever 49 fulcrumed to the wringer, lVhen the clutch member 47 is in theposition shown in Fig. 2, the Wringer shaft will be rotated and when itis moved to its opposite limit the wringer shaft will remaininoperative.

In order to provide for throwing the agitator shaft out of gearwvhen thecover is raised I have provided the following mechanism: Slidinglymounted upon the cover 13 is a bar 50 having one end extended up ivardlyinto engagement with the sliding clutch member 27. At the other end ofthe bar is a handle 51. Fulcrumed to the cover 13 is a bell crank leverpivoted to the bar 50, and also pivoted to a slide bolt. 53 which boltis designed to coact with a keeper 54 secured to a stationary part ofthe machine cover. By this arrangement it is obvious that when the partsare in the position shown in Fig. 2, the slide bolt will. be disengagedfrom its keeper and the clutch member 27 will be disengaged from itsmating clutch me1nber;'then when the handle 51 is operated to move theclutch members into engagement with each other, the bell crank leverwill also be operated to move the slide bolt 58 in engagement with i skeeper so that by this arrangement the double function is accomplishedby latching the cover when the agitator shaft is in gear and ofunlatching the cover when the agitator shaft is thrown out of Obviouslybefore the cover may be'raised, the latch must be released and when thisis done the agitator shaft is thrown out of gear and when the cover isclosed it must be latched before the gearing device can be thrown intooperation. One of the important re suits that are gained by the use ofmyimproved gearing device is that few working parts are employed, therebeing only one pinion which is in mesh with the gearing device on theagitator shaft. However, by making the gearing device on the agitatorshaft of such size that the pinion 31 must make a number of revolutionsto each revolution of the agitator shaft, I avoid the necessity ofproviding additional speed reducing gearingdevices. Furthermore byproviding the main power shaft 39 rom nected direct-to sprocket gearingwith the wringer shaft, I provide a very simple gearmg for the Wrmgerand also provide means whereby the wrmger may be thrown into or out ofgear very quickly and easily. I

have also provided a belt guide arranged to hold the belt in positioneither when crossed or uncrossed as follows: The numeral 55 indicates anoval metal loop having an opening at one side through which a belt maybe admitted and also provided with flanges 56 at its ends whereby it maybe secured to the sides of the washing machine body. It is preferablyarranged at that point upon the body where the belt would be crossedwhen used in this manner and obviously when removing and replacing thebelt to cross it or to uncross it, said guide will hold the belt inposition so that it need not be removed from both pulleys.

In use the motor is permitted to operate the shaft 36 during the entireoperation of washing and wringing and the operator, by manipulating thehandle 51 and the cover washing machine into or out of gear very.readily and easily or both may be thrown wringer comprises a metalplate 55 con .neeted at its upper edge to the sides of the wringer frameand extended across the wrmger frame ad acent to the upper roller andarranged on the side of the wringer frame opposite from the side onwhich the clothes are inserted. The lower edge of the plate is extendedto a position close to.the roller at a point a short distance from thepoint where the two rollers contact with each other as clearly shown inFig. 5. I have provided for making the plate adjustable toward. and fromthe roller at its lower edge by means of a set screw 56 extended fromthe plate and seated in the wringer frame. I have also provided improvedmeans for feeding clothes to the wringer so that the operators fingerswill not become caught therein by providing a feeder board 57 arrangedin a substantially horizontal position adjacent to the side of thewringer in which the clothes are inserted. One

4.) may throw either the wringer or the w edge thereof is arranged closeto and combination of a support,

invest o,

feederboard and then by pushing them toward the rollers they. Will slideover the feeder board and enter between the rollers without thenecessity of having-the operator place his fingers in position adjacentto the rollers Where they will likely become caught therein and indevice of this kind it is or especial value in connection with poweroperated Wringers. in connection with the device for preventing clothesfrom becoming Wrapped on the rollers oi the \vringer, I have found thatthe clothes in most instances Wrap around the upper roller and l havetherefore provided a scraperfor the upper roller only arranged to loosenclothes from the upper roller and compellingthem to pass outwardlybeyond the rollers. Qbviously, if desired, a similar scraper may beapplied to the lower roller.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A. gearingdevice of the class described, ,mprising a support, ahinged member on the support, an. upright shaft in the hinged member, apower shaft mounted on the side of the support and having; a clutchmember thereon, a shaft mounted upon the hinged member in line with thepower shaft and having a clutch member thereon to enact With the clutchmember on the power shaft, means interposed between the shaft on thehinged member and the upright shaft on the hinged member for imparting;an alternating rotary motion to the latter by a continuous rotary motionof the former, and means for connecting and disconnecting said clutchdevice.

A gearing device of the class described, comprising a support, a hingedmember on the support, an upright shaft in the hinged member, a powershaft mounted on the side of the support and having'a clutch memberthereon, a shaft mounted upon the hinged member in line with the povvcrshaft and having a clutch member thereon to coactwith the clutchmemberon the power shaft, means i'filsilJOSt-d between the shaft on thehinge member and the upright shaft on the hinged member for imparting analternating rotary motion to the latter by a-contmuous rotary motion ofthe former, a latch device tor the hinged member and a bar connectedwith the latch device and the clutch devi e for disconnecting them inunison when mov d to one position and for closing; the latch device andconnecting the clutch members in unison when m another position.

3. in a device of the class described, the a hinge men'iber on the topof the support, an upright shaft 111 LL; inged member, a horizontally arranged short at he side of the support, a clutch member thGI'EwIT; meansfor rotating; said shaft, a second lioriacntally arranged shaft on saidhinged member in lin with the first, a sliding ciutcli member thereon toooaet with the cl tch member on the first shaft means interposed betweenthe hori- Zontaily arramred shaft and the vertically arranged shaft onthe hiz'iged member for impairing al ernatino; rotary motion to thevertically z nuous rot ry motion applied to the horizontal Sllitlfe,said clutch members being arranged at one side of said hinged u'iembcrso that when the hinged memberis raised the horizontally arranged shafton the hinged member will move away from the shaft on the support, aslide bolt on the hinged member, a keeper for the slide bolt on. thesupportadjacent to the slide bolt, a bell crank lever connected with theslide belt, a bar slidingly "supported. on thehinged member and havingone end connected with the slidingclutch member, said bar also be mgpivoted to said bell crank lever, for the purposes state In adeviccotthe class described thecombination of a support, hinged member on thetop of the support, a horizontally arranged power shaft at the side ofthe support e tenoed in a direction toward the center of the support, ab -izontally arranged shaft on the hinged member in line with the shafton the sup-port, ooactin g' clutch devices on said shafts, means forconnecting and disconnectin them, vertically arranged shaft on thehinged member, and means interposed between it and the horizontal shaftfor imparting an alternating rotary motion to the vertical shaft by acontinuous rotary motion of the horizontal shaft, said clutch devicesbeing arranged at one sideof the hinged hinged member Will move awayfrom the shaft on the support when the hinged memher is elevated.

scribed, the combination of support, a

hinged member for the support, a power shaft mounted on" the support, anupright shaft mounted in the hinged portion oi the support, a horizontalshaft mounted on the hinged member of the support, means interposedbetween the two shafts on the hinged member ot-the support forimpartingan alternating rotary motion to the upright shaft by a continuous rotarymotion applied to the horizontal shaft, and means for operativelyconnecting or disconnecting the horizontal shaft on thehinged member ofthe support from the power shaft on the support,-

8. in a gearing, device of the class deribed, the combination of asupport, a rigged member for the support, a power snaf t mounted on thesupport, an upright shaft mounted in the hinged portion of the support,a horizontal shaft mounted on the hinged member of the support, meansinterarranged shaft by means of a member, whereby the shaft on the"posed between the two shafts on the hinged member of the support forimparting an alternating rotary motion. to the upright shaft by acontinuous rotary motion applied to the horlzontal shaft, and means foroperatively connecting or disconnecting the,

horizontal shaft on the hinged member of the support from the powershaft on the support, said means comprising coacting clutch members onsaid shafts and means carried by the hinged member of the support foractuating said clutch.

Des Moines, Iowa, March 11, 1910.

JOHN C. THOMPSON.

W itmas ses:

F. E. THOMPSON, A. J. SHEPARD.

